Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
2575 Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Design colleges in India offer courses at UG, PG, Diploma, Doctorate, and Certificate level. Candidates interested Designing or creating products, can apply in these courses after completing Class 12 boards or by clearing entrance exams like NIFT exam, NID exam, UCEED, etc. Top design colleges in India are generally recognised as Institutions of National Importance or deemed universities, accredited by UGC or AICTE, ensuring high academic standards and recognised certifications.
There are about 2,400+ best Design colleges in India. Of these, 1,400 colleges are privately owned, 300+ are government colleges and semi-government owned 100+ colleges. The top 10 Design colleges in India include NIFT Delhi, Amity University University Noida, NIFT Bangalore, NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Hyderabad, NIFT Gandhinagar, Pearl Academy Mumbai, and many others.
Design colleges in India offer courses at UG, PG, Diploma, Doctorate, and Certificate level. Candidates interested Designing or creating products, can apply in these courses after completing Class 12 boards or by clearing entrance exams like NIFT exam, NID exam, UCEED, etc. Top design colleges in India are generally recognised as Institutions of National Importance or deemed universities, accredited by UGC or AICTE, ensuring high academic standards and recognised certifications.
There are about 2,400+ best Design colleges in India. Of these, 1,400 colleges are privately owned, 300+ are government colleges and semi-government owned 100+ colleges. The top 10 Design colleges in India include NIFT Delhi, Amity University University Noida, NIFT Bangalore, NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Hyderabad, NIFT Gandhinagar, Pearl Academy Mumbai, and many others.
- Important Highlights of the Best Design Colleges in India 2026
- Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Indian Design Colleges 2026
- Entrance Exams Accepted in top Design Colleges in India 2026
- NIFT Exam Accepting Design Colleges in India
- Best Designing Institutes in India: Courses, Fees, Eligibility
- Best Private Design Colleges in India
- Best Government Design Colleges in India
- Best Semi Government Design Institutes in India
- Best Design Colleges in India Offering B Des Programme
- Location-Wise Best Design Colleges in India
- 10.1 Best Design Colleges in Delhi/NCR
- 10.2 Best Design Colleges in Mumbai
- 10.3 Best Design Institutes in Bangalore
- 10.4 Best Design Colleges in Pune
- Highest Salary Offered by Best Design Colleges in India
- Best Low-Cost Designing Colleges in India
- Top Specialisations for Best Designing Colleges in India
Important Highlights of the Best Design Colleges in India 2026
Top Design colleges in India offer diverse specialisations like Game Design, Jewellery Design, Graphic Design, etc. Admission are usually based on tests scores like UCEED, NIFT, NID exam. Given below are the key highlights of the best Design colleges in India with all important info. -
| Particulars |
Statistics |
|---|---|
| Total no. of Design colleges in India |
2,400+ colleges |
| Annual Fee range of the best Designing colleges in India |
< INR 1 lakh: 490+ INR 1-3 lakh: 460+ INR 3-5 lakh: 470+ INR 5-7 lakh: 180+ INR 7-10 lakh: 100+ INR 10-15 lakh: 100+ INR > 15 lakh: 70+ |
| Top Design Institutes in India |
|
| Top Designing Specialisations offered in Indian colleges |
|
| Accepted Entrance Exams |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Indian Design Colleges 2026
Given below is the eligibility criteria to get admission to the best Design colleges in India -
- For UG admission, candidates must complete their Class 12 in any stream Science, Commerce, and Arts with an aggregate of 45-60% marks.
- For PG admission, candidates must have Bachelor’s degree in Design with 55-60% aggregate marks.
Source: Official site and may vary.
Entrance Exams Accepted in top Design Colleges in India 2026
Admission to these Designing colleges in India will be based on merit or through entrance exams. Listed below are the top entrance exams accepted in the bachelor of design colleges in India with schedule -
| Exam Name | Exam Schedule | Exam Cutoff Predictor |
|---|---|---|
| CUET | CUET Schedule | CUET Cutoff Predictor |
| UCEED | UCEED Schedule | UCEED Cutoff Predictor |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | NIFT Exam Schedule | NIFT Cutoff Predictor |
| NID Entrance Exam | NID Exam Schedule | NID Cutoff Predictor |
Source: Official site and may vary.
NIFT Exam Accepting Design Colleges in India
About 40+ best Design colleges accepting NIFT entrance exam in India. Some of them are mentioned below along with their tuition fees:
| Top Colleges | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| NIFT Delhi | INR 6 lakh - INR 12 lakh |
| NIFT Bangalore | INR 77,000 - INR 12 lakh |
| NIFT Mumbai | INR 6 lakh |
| NIFT Chennai | INR 9 lakh - INR 12 lakh |
| NIFT Hyderabad | INR 6 lakh - INR 12 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Designing Institutes in India: Courses, Fees, Eligibility
There are many top courses offered by the top Designing colleges in India like BDes in Fashion Designing, Interior Designing, Animation Film Designing, etc with tuition fees and eligibility -
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Private Design Colleges in India
There are about 1400+ private design colleges in India. Private colleges are somewhat expensive than government colleges as it has better infrastructure, more specialisations, and better facilities. Given below are the top private colleges with tuition fees and eligibility criteria -
| Private Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| INR 2.88 lakh – INR 16.72 lakh |
CUET and Merit-Based |
|
| JD Birla Institute Admission | INR 1.57 lakh - INR 4.13 lakh | Merit-based |
| INR 25,000 - INR 13 lakh |
PU DAT |
|
| Amity University, Mumbai Admission | INR 1.89 lakh - INR 11.68 lakh | CUET and Merit-Based |
| UID Karnavati University Admission | INR 1.65 lakh - INR 40 lakh | UID Design Aptitude Test |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Government Design Colleges in India
Government colleges are affordable than private colleges as and it has well-established colleges with credible reputation, but with limited seats and tough competition for the seats. Given below are the top government colleges with tuition fees and eligibility criteria -
| Public/Govt. Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| NIFT Bangalore Admission | INR 74,340 - INR 12.96 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| INR 94,400 – INR 12.96 lakh |
NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
|
| INR 47,200 – INR 12.96 lakh |
NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
|
| NIFT Chennai Admission | INR 5.86 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| NIFT Hyderabad Admission | INR 6.07 lakh - INR 12.96 lakh | NID Entrance Exam |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Semi Government Design Institutes in India
Top semi government and government-affiliated design colleges in India with strong placements, and lower fees than private colleges. These top-ranked, government-funded institutes focus on specialised, high-quality, and research-driven design curricula. Given below are the top semi government colleges with tuition fees -
| Semi-Govt. Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Carmel College, Mala Admission | INR 36,000 |
| St. Aloysius College Admission | INR 36,000 |
| Arya Post Graduate College Admission | INR 23,890 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in India Offering B Des Programme
Top 10 BDes colleges in India offering BDes programs include top institutes like Amity University Noida, NIFT Delhi, Amity University Mumbai, NIFT Bangalore, etc. These colleges provide specialisation in fields like Fashion, Communication, Product, and User Experience (UX) Design. Check the table below for the top colleges with tuition fees -
| Top Colleges | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Amity University Noida BDes | INR 7.92 lakh - INR 8.8 lakh |
| NIFT Delhi BDes | INR 12.34 lakh |
| Amity University Mumbai BDes | INR 4.88 lakh - INR 11.68 lakh |
| NIFT Bangalore BDes | INR 5.63 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh |
| NIFT Mumbai BDes | INR 5.63 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh |
| UID Karnavati University BDes | INR 24 lakh - INR 40 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Location-Wise Best Design Colleges in India
Design colleges are spread all over India in major cities. You can enrol in government or private Design colleges in India. Given below is the region-wise distribution of the top Design schools in India:
Best Design Colleges in Delhi/NCR
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Delhi NCR with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| Amity School of Fashion Technology Courses | INR 2.88 lakh - INR 11.84 lakh | Merit-Based |
| Amity University Noida Courses | INR 2.9 lakh - INR 12.54 lakh | CUET and Merit-Based |
| DTU Courses | INR 2.88 lakh | UCEED, CEED |
| IIAD Entrance Exam Courses | INR 9.66 lakh - INR 21.08 lakh | IIAD Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| NIFT Delhi Courses | INR 70,800 - INR 12.34 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| Pearl Academy Courses | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 3.2 lakh | Pearl Academy Entrance Exam, DAT |
| United World Institute of Design, GD Goenka University Courses | INR 24 lakh - INR 40 lakh | UID Design Aptitude Test |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in Mumbai
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Mumbai with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| Amity University Mumbai | INR 1.68 lakh - INR 10.56 lakh | CUET and Merit-Based |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University | INR 80,000 - INR 3.8 lakh | Merit-Based |
| IDC-IIT Bombay | INR 70,000 - INR 11.56 lakh | UCEED, CEED |
| IIAD-IIT Bombay | INR 1 lakh - INR 11.56 lakh | UCEED, CEED |
| NIFT Mumbai | INR 1.3 lakh - INR 11.74 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| NMIMS School of Design, NMIMS | INR 17.8 lakh | UCEED, NMIMS DAT and Merit-Based |
| Pearl Academy Mumbai | INR 2.2 lakh - INR 21.52 lakh | Pearl Academy Exam and Merit-Based |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Institutes in Bangalore
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Bangalore with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| NID Bengaluru | INR 9.97 lakh | NID Entrance Exam |
| NIFT Bangalore | INR 60,000 - INR 12.34 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| Srishti Manipal Insitute of Art, Design and Technology | INR 1,35 lakh - INR 5.61 lakh | UCEED, SAT India and SMEAT |
| Vogue Institute of Art and Design | INR 1.36 lakh - INR 6 lakh | Merit-Based |
| RV University | INR 6 lakh - INR 15 lakh | UCEED |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in Pune
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Pune with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| MIT-ADT University | INR 4.9 lakh - INR 12.65 lakh | MITID DAT |
| SID Pune | INR 17.6 lakh | SEED and Merit-Based |
| MIT-WPU Pune | INR 8 lakh - IR 14 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| School of Design, MIT WPU | INR 14 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| International School of Design | INR 62,000 - INR 5.85 lakh | Merit-Based |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Highest Salary Offered by Best Design Colleges in India
Enrolling into the top Designing colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. To check the worth, candidates must check the ROI of each college by comparing tuition fees and eligibility criteria. Candidates can see some of the colleges in the table below -
| College Names |
Total Tuition Fee |
Annual Average Package |
|---|---|---|
| NIFT Kannur Placement | INR 6.16 lakh - INR12.96 lakh | INR 4.11 LPA - INR 6.1 LPA |
| Amity University Mumbai Placement | INR 1.89 lakh - INR 11.68 lakh | INR 6.2 LPA - INR 7.2 LPA |
| PSG College of Arts and Science Placement | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 2.7 lakh | INR 3.5 LPA - INR 4 LPA |
| Indian Institute of Fashion Technology Placement | INR 75,000 - INR 6.9 lakh | INR 2.1 LPA - INR 3.5 LPA |
| Bon Secours College For Women Placement | INR 43,000 - INR 44,000 | INR 2.76 LPA |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Low-Cost Designing Colleges in India
Not everyone can afford a college with high fees and expenses. Candidates can check the table below for the top affordable Designing colleges in India with tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh -
| Affordable Design Colleges in India | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| NIFT Delhi Fees | INR 94,400 |
| NIFT Bangalore Fees | INR 74,340 - INR 97,350 |
| NIFT Mumbai Fees | INR 47,200 - INR 88,500 |
| NIFT Kolkata Fees | INR 18,800 - INR 75,150 |
| NIFT Patna Fees | INR 25,600 - INR 90,200 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Specialisations for Best Designing Colleges in India
Fashion Design, Graphic Design and Apparel design are some of the top specialisations offered by the best Designing colleges in India. Candidates can check the table below for the top specialisations offered by top colleges -
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Yes, students can get direct admission in Artemisia College of Art and Design for some courses. Any student getting selected based on the portfolio is eligible for early admission and can skip the entrance test. For merit-based admissions, prefernce will be given to such students. But even through the direct admissions, students still have to meet the basic eligibility.
The median salary trend witnessed during St. Xavier's College, Mumbai placements is mentioned below:
Course | Median Package 2023 | Median Package 2024 | Median Package 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
UG 3-year | INR 6.89 LPA | INR 6 LPA | INR 6.12 LPA |
PG 2-year | INR 6.23 LPA | INR 3.6 LPA | INR 5.25 LPA |
Ellen College of Design provides various undergraduate, postgraduate, and UG Diploma programmes. The courses include MSc, BVoc, UG Diploma, and BDes. For admission, the aspirants must meet the eligiblity and selection requirements.
No, there are no direct admissions in NMIMS School of Design. For admission in institute of NMIMS School of Design you need valid score and merit in NMIMS-DAT above 80 percentile and 60% aggregate in HSC are required to get selected. After passing studio test and interview round student get selected in NMIMS-SOD and also candidate have to performed well because college have very limited seats available for courses around 30 seats and college fees is around 17.8 lakh. Candidate can check admission, eligibility criteria and upcoming updates of course on shiksha.com or college official website (design.nmims.edu).
The students of Amity University Gwalior are being taught the greatest skills in shaping future business perspectives by the eminent faculty from IIM, IITs and corporate world. The best thing about Amity University Gwalior is the combination of academia and industry. The faculty focuses on offering therotical and practical knowledge to the students.
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
More than 500 recruiters took part during JSPM RSCOE placements some of them are:
JSPM RSCOEPlacements: Top Recruiters | |
|---|---|
Capgemini | Cognizant |
TCS | Infosys |
Accenture | LTI Mindtree |
KPIT | HSBC |
Yes, Sister Nivedita University is a good university as it has more than 39 years of experience and is recognised by the UGC. The university is recognised by the UGC and is approved by the AICTE, PCI, BCI, and WBNC. In addition to this, Sister Nivedita University has a dedicated placement cell that has decent connections with top-notch companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Ashok Leyland, Bosch, HP, etc.
The flagship course offered at Silver Oak Institute of Design is Bachelor of Design. SOID offers a 4-years (8 semesters) Bachelor in Design programme through in four specialisations, namely Fashion & Textile Design, Visual Communication Design, Interior & Furniture Design and Product Design.
United World Institute of Design, GD Goenka University provides good placements to its students. Top recruiters such as Deloitte, Wipro and Accenture visited the campus and made PPOs during the placement drive 2025.
Yes, SASMIRA's Institute of Design and Textiles admission 2025 is open for all courses. The college offers Fashion Designing, Textile Designing, Merchandising at UG, Diploma and Certificate levels. Admission to all the courses are based on merit in the last qualifying exam. Students should apply early to secure their seats.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
GLS University courses are offered at the UG, PG and doctoral level. Some of the popular UG courses are BTech, BA LLB, BBA LLB (Hons), BDes, etc. Similarly, some of the popular PG courses are MBA, MCA, MDesign and MCom etc.
Below are the various rankings of Vogue Institute of Art and Design, Bangalore;
| Ranking Body | Ranks |
|---|---|
The Week 2023 under the Fashion Design category | 20 |
| India Today 2023 under the Fashion Design category | 26 |
| India Today 2022 under the Fashion Design category | 22 |
| India Today 2021 under the Fashion Design category | 23 |
Bangalore University is a well-know institute which has been established by the 1964. The university is offering quality education under the guidance of experts with years of experience. The university is known for its BTech and MBA programme. The university has decent placements, the median package offered at the Class of 2024 for UG is INR 8 LPA and for PG is INR 3.5 LPA.
Bangalore University has eminent alumni members like Anushka Sharma, Rahul Dravid, Deepika Praduko, etc. The university offers scholarships to the deserving students for financial assiatnce.
This institute has rated as one of the top fashion design institutes in the country. It has accepted as Best Fashion Institute in Chandigarh two years in a row and ranked as one of the Top 10 Design Colleges in India. According to Education Scopup Magazine, IIFD offers an excellent curriculum that includes both theoretical knowledge and practical exposure, thus preparing the students to fit into the industry immediately. The great placement record of 99% makes graduates get chances with Marks & Spencer, Satya Paul, and such other big brands. With this reputation and quality, IIFD is certainly the first choice for Chandigarh's aspiring designers.
CSJMU application process is conducted in an online mode. Students can check below the general steps to apply for CSJMU admissions.
1. Go to admission page of CSJM University.
2. Click on the registration link.
3. Register with the basic details.
5. Upload documents and then submit application fee.
6. Submit the form.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Dr. D.Y. Patil School of Design is a private institute located in Pune, Maharashtra. DPUSOD Pune is known to be the flagship institute of Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth. BSc & BDes are the flagship courses of the institute. The admissions to the institute are based on entrance test. The institute conducts its own entrance test called DPU All India Design Aptitude Test ( DPU AIDAT). Overall, it is a very good college for design.
With 60 percentile in JEE Main, it is difficult for General category students to get admission in BTech. There is a very less chance even for SC/ ST or students with domicile of Delhi in lower branches. For top branches, such as CSE or CSE-AI, 96 to 99+ percentile is required.
Department of Architecture and Planning imparts high-quality education in the professional fields of Architecture and Planning and offers Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.), Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) and mant other degrees. Department has facilities like Climatology Lab, Computer Lab, and Computerized Design Studios equipped with state of art equipment and software, Art Lab & Fabrication Lab. A prestigious lab on Net Zero Emissions set up under the INDO UK programme is the latest addition in the department.
YMCA CP-North provides many courses, it is best vocational institute offering courses like Fashion technology, office management, interior design. Where Diploma in fashion is the best course.It is the best place to learn the fashion designing course.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University has more than 250 teaching staff and 300+ non-teaching staff in the fields of Law, Engineering, Sociology, Biology, Commerce, Botany, Economics, Physics, etc. All the teaching staff have good experience and have master's or PhD degree.